Benzin apparatus for washing, rinsing, draining, and drying textile materials.



U. RUTHLISBERGER. BENZIN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, RINSING, DRAINING, AND DRYING TEXTILE MATERIALS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910.

975,078. 7 Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

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U. RUTHLISBERGER. I BENZIN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, RINSING, DRAINING, AND DRYING TEXTILE MATERIALS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910.

975,078 Patentd Nov. 8, 1910.

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WITNESSES. ULR\CH RTHusBERQER,

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ULRICH RQTHLISBERGER, OF BASEL, SWITZERLAND.

BENZIN APPARATUS FOR WASHING, RINSING, DRAINING, AND DRYING TEXTILE MATERIALS. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed May 24, 1910. Serial N 0. 563,162.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Unmorr Ro'rflmssnn- GER, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and resident of Basel, Switzerland,have invented new and useful Improvements in Benzin Apparatus for Washing, Rinsing, Draining, and Drying Textile Materials, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

In washing apparatus as heretofore constructed wherein benzin is used, it is 1mpletely relcage-like drums, the walls of which consists preferably of a number of horizontal rods, are revolubly mounted in displaceable boxes which are openat their lower ends and closed above by a movable cover.

Vertically reciprocating receptacles which are arranged beneath the drums are adapted when in raised position to close the boxes which contains the drums. Some of the receptacles, the first ones, are filled with benzin and in the raised position, during the slow revolution of the corresponding drums, permit the articles introduced into the latter to be washed and rinsed in the benzin, while,

in a partly lowered position, by quick rotation of the drums, they ermit of a periodical draining by centrifiigal force. Above the last empty receptacle, the goods are'comdrained by quickly rotating the corresponding drum, and dried by circulating hot air while rotating at a lower speed. When the receptacles are moved into the lowermost position, the boxes and drums are periodically moved over the next receptacle after each working period, so that each drum will register with all the receptacles consecutively, that is to say, will undergo the various working stages in the a paratus step by step and so enable the artic es to remain in the same drum during the entire cleansing process. The working process is, therefore, such that during a slow rotation, washing is taking place in one drum, rinsing in one or more subsequent drums, and drying in the last drum, and during a subsequent quick rotation, the articles are drained in the first drums and finallydried in the last drum. On the whole, therefore, the process is a continuous one, and need only be interrupted for the time required for shifting the drums, thus allowing of a considerably higher efliciency of the apparatus being attained.

To prevent an accumulation of benzin vapors and also to prevent the likelihood of an explosion, the vapors arising from the completely closed chambers containing the washing and rinsing drums, are preferably drawn away by a ventilator and regained for use by condensation.

To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of'an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, and having four working drums, Fig. 2 is a transverse section on Fig. 1 showing closed boxes and receptacles for the washing, rinsing and drying operations, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on Fig. 1' showing the apparatus after the drainlng operation, the cover being lifted and the last receptacle l' con'ipletely lowered the corresponding drum to be shifted away from above the receptacle.

(1 is the frame which is provided with rails b from which are suspended bottomless boxes 0 having revolubly ,mounted squirrelcage-like drums (Z for the reception of the textile material to be treated. The boxes 0 are closed above by means of a common cover 0 and have provided beneath them a number of vertically adjustable receptacles f, k, which in their raised position are adapted to close their corresponding boxes 0 at- -tlie bottom. A glycerin closure is provided to insure the complete tightness between the boxes 0 and the receptacles f, is, thus making it impossible for the vapors to escape.

The drums d are at the one side kept in place by guiding rods 2' and at the other s de are actuated by short shafts 0 with which they may be connected by means of clutches These shafts may be actuated from a main shaft 9 at two speeds, though the intermediary either of toothed get-rings s when to allow ot' a slow speed is required for the pur ose of washing, rinsing and dryin'g,'or of riction gearings p when a higher speed isrequ'ired for the purposeof draining and. final drying.

.The apparatus is operated in the follow ingmanner: The first drum is filled with the articles to be washed, and together with itsbox c is brought to-register with the first receptacle f which is in its lowermostfposition and contains benzin and additional matter. The receptacle f is then lifted and the cover e put on. The clutch g' is then ut in and washing takes place in the first ruln which rotates slowly, driven by means of the toothed gearing 8. After partlylowering the receptacles f, the drums are revolved at a higher speed for the drainingbeing put in and the gearings 8 put out by ordlnary coupling means not shown here. The receptacles fare then completely lowoperation in the first drum, the gearings p ered, the cover e' is raised and'thefirst drum togetherwith its box 0 moved over to the second benzin containing receptacle 7 for the rinsing operation. Then a second drum and box 0, the. former filled with articles to be washed, is brought to register with the first receptacle 7, and the above process repeated for, the second drum and also for the third and fourth drums. Thus finally the first introduced drum reaches the empty re- 7 ing place in the lastly introduced drum situated above the first receptacle f. It is there-.

ceptacle k, where by quick rotation and by the use of warm air admitted through a flexiblevpipe a: and escaping at g (Fi 1) the drying operation is com leted, whi e simultaneously rinsing is taklng place in the second and third drums and washing is takfore evident that by means of this apparatus washing, rinsing and drying may take place simultaneously, and during aoquick rotation of the drums draining may be effected in all the drums simultaneously. The benzin vapors formed'in the completely closed receptacles or spaces containing the washing and rlnsing drums may be withdrawn by means.

of a ventilator 2, indicated by dotted lines .in Fig. 1, the suction pipe of which is preferably connected by means of flexible-pipes to the cover e above the various drums, and 'j recovered in a fluid condition by condensation. Since, furthermore, all these processes take place in closed chambers, all danger of explosion and of a loss of benzin is obviated.

When these separate processes have 'been completed, the primarily introduceddrum d and its box 0 pass out of the apparatus.

when the receptacles f, lc-are in their lowermost-position, and pass to a lifting device Z in order to be transported along a raised track m to the entrance side of the apparatus for the pur ose of being again used after the articles ave been removed from the drum, while at the entrance side of the appa- I draining and dryin drums either rapidly or slowlcyi) and for ratus a substitution box 0 with freshly filled drum (2 is introduced g From the above it will be obvious that all the'operations required for the. cleaning of the articles in benzin take place continuously in the same drum, while by means of the above mentioned lifting device, it is possible to easily handle the boxes 0 and drums d and make the process a continuous one. It 'w1ll furthermore be understood that these lifting devices are not absolutely essential, that 1s to say, they may be done away with, in.

which case thevboxes o and drums (i would have to be transported sidewise from the ex1t end of the apparatus to the entrance end of the same.

This apparatus is especially suitable for working on a large scale.

The number of drums Z and boxes cas well as receptacles f, k may of course be varied.

What I claim is: I

1. Inan apparatus for washing, rinsing, textile materials, the combination of disp aceable boxes open'at the lower end, means to allow of shifting of said boxes through the apparatus, revoluble drums in said boxes for the reception of the articles to be treated, means to revolve said and vertically movable receptacles place eneath said boxes, adapted to close them at the lower end When being in raised'position, and some of which are designed. to be charged with benzin, the whole being arranged in view of successively treating the articles in each drum with different benzin baths and draining and drying them by centrifugal force, substan-- boxes, adapted'to close them at the lower end when being in raised position, and some of which are designed to be charged with benzin, and a warm air circulation device connected to the last one of said receptacles, the Whole being arranged in view of successively treating the articlesin each drum with different benzin baths and draining and drying them by centrifugal force, whereby-in the 'last receptacle the drying is completed by warm air admitted thereto, substantially e purpose described. 3. In an apparatus for washing,

draining and dr combination ofisplaceable boxes open at the lower end, means to allow of shifting of said boxes through the apparatus, revoluble rinsing, ing textile m'aterlals, the

textile mater1als, the

drums in said boxes for the reception of the articles to be treated, means to revolve said drums either rapidly or slowly, vertically movable receptacles placed beneath said boxes, adapted to close them at the lower end when being in raised position and some of which are designed to be charged with benzin, and transport devices to allow of the transfer of .the boxes with their drums from the exit end of the apparatus to the entrance end of the same, the whole being arranged in view of successively treating the articles in each drum with different benzin baths and draining and drying them by centrifugal force, whereby the drums after being emptied may be returned to the entrance end of the apparatus for a new passa e through the same, substantially as and or the purpose described.

4. In an apparatus for Washing, rinsing, draining and drying textile materials, the

combination of displaceable boxes open at the lower end, means to allow of shifting of said boxes through the apparatus, revoluble drums in said boxes for the reception of the articles to be treated, means to revolve said drums either rapidly or slowly, vertically movable receptacles placed beneath said boxes, adapted to close them at the lower end when being in raised position, and some of which are designed to be charged with benzin, and a ventilating device to draw off the benzin Vapors from boxes and receptacles, the whole being arranged inview of successively treating the articles in each drum with different benzin baths and draining anddrying them by centrifugal force, under evacuaas and tion ofbenzin vapors, substantially for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 13th day of May, 1910, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ULRICH ROTI'ILISBERGER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE GHFORD, AMAND BRAUN. 

